by Marty Minchin

Created on: April 23, 2009   Last Updated: May 26, 2009

San Diego's 59-Mile Scenic Drive covers most of the city's top attractions, from Mission Bay to stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, in one vehicular tour. Pack a map and fill up your gas tank, and you're ready to embark on this epic journey through "America's Finest City."

The 59-mile drive was established in 1965 to guide tourists through downtown San Diego, La Jolla and all of the beautiful and historic sites in between. The route is still marked every quarter mile with blue and yellow signs emblazoned with seagulls.

The drive should take about three hours, provided you don't stop at any of the sites. To truly enjoy this scenic trip, tackle it a few miles at a time or plan for a full day.

The drive begins at the Embarcadero, where you can get maps, brochures and visitor guides at the International Visitor Information Center on the northeast corner of West Broadway and Harbor Drive. The first legs of the self-directed tour take you past the Broadway Pier, a cruise ship terminal and famous boats such as the Star of India.

From there, you'll see museums, historic sites, great swimming holes, coastline views and historic neighborhoods. The official map contains 27 stops, and here are some of the highlights:

-Point Loma is the southwesternmost point of the United States, and it's worth a stop to say you've stood there. Point Loma also is home to the restored Old Point Loma Lighthouse, which began operating in 1855. In the winter, you may also spot gray whales, and you can enjoy the harbor view and check out tidal pools along the shore anytime.

-A stroll around the University of California-San Diego and the Salk Institute provides an excellent architectural tour. Each technical school at UCSD exemplifies a different type of architecture, and the school's library, surrounded by a eucalyptus grove, is a stunning sight.

-The Junipero Serra Museum off Presidio Drive sits on top of the hill where a Spanish missionary and a group of soldiers established the first fort and mission in Alta California in the 1700s. The museum is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city, and its large collection of art, photographs and artifacts tell the story of San Diego.

-For great views of the Coronado Bridge and San Diego's downtown, stop at Embarcadero Marina Park. This popular public park is often filled with people flying kites, fishing, picnicking and walking along the waterway.

-The Gaslamp Quarter Districts offers great shopping and eating in many historic buildings that were saloons, opium dens and gambling halls during the California Gold Rush. This may be a stop you want to revisit, as this historic neighborhood is known as much for its nightlife as for its thriving business district.

The 59-mile drive ends at the quirky Horton Plaza, a multi-level shopping center in the heart of downtown San Diego. If you have the energy to check out one last sight, this shopping mall is known for its unique architecture and mix of unusual boutiques and mid- to upper-end stores.

Learn more about this author, Marty Minchin.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.